Minnesota. A state that can be so harsh, yet so endearing. Long, cold winters give way to breathtakingly beautiful summers with ideal weather and ample opportunities to get outside and explore. The state does have 10,000 lakes, after all. Spend this summer exploring the trails of...
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June 2nd (next week!) is American Hiking Society's National Trails Day. For the past 25 years, National Trails Day has been an opportunity to encourage people to get out onto the trails in any way they want—hiking, biking, running, dancing. This year, being the 50th anniversary of...
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If you believe everything you see on Instagram, camping is the most relaxing, picturesque activity ever. What can possibly go wrong when you’re sleeping under the stars, far away from deadlines and dirty dishes and traffic and the world’s problems? Uh, everything! For such a seemingly...
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It's about to be summertime. There will be an exodus from our homes to typically two locations—the beach, or camping at a state or national park. Which means your relaxing, long-awaited family vacation will be shared with millions of other families. This year, you should buck...
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The Eagle Creek Fire of 2017 had an enormous impact on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge. We all watched in horror as some of Oregon's most well-known and picturesque trails burned, and still wonder if we will ever see them again as...
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Happy Derby Day! Some of you are probably fortunate enough to be at Churchill Downs right now with our fancy clothes and big, floppy hats (and not reading this post, because, Derby). The rest of us will likely gather at a friend's house to drink...
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If you know even a small amount about paddling, you've probably stumbled across the Nantahala Outdoor Center, or NOC. Many people today see the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) for what it has become: a seminal Southeastern paddling hub and profitable business. What they don’t know is...
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Spring is a wonderful time to be on the Appalachian Trail. The thru-hikers are full of excitement and energy, the day hikers are stretching their legs after a long winter, and the animals are all coming out of hibernation and ready to frolic on the...
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Happy Earth Day, everyone! Or, to those of us who live life as if every day is Earth Day, happy Sunday! The theme of this year's Earth Day is educating and encouraging people to help end plastic pollution. Which is a massively growing problem! Maybe you've...
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"April showers bring May flowers." We grew up reciting that rhyme (and followed up with the Dad joke, "What else do May flowers bring? Pilgrims!"). It's cute. It's catchy. It brings you visions of happy flowers. It's also a lame way to sugarcoat just how awful April...
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